Results of VCD: Do we have any?, by Jim Tanburn (DCED)

1. Results of VCD:
Do we have any?
Making the connection, Addis Ababa, 6 Nov.
2012
Jim Tanburn
Tanburn@Enterprise-Development.org
www.Enterprise-Development.org

2. Outline
• Introduction and overview, with
Jim Tanburn
• Cocoa Livelihood Improvement
Project (CLIP), the Solomon
Islands, with Moses Pelomo
• Seeds and Markets Project
(SAMP), Southern Africa, with
Mihaela Balan
www.Enterprise-Development.org

3. There is pressure to measure ...
“Without being hard-hearted, we will also be
hard-headed, and make sure our aid money is
directed at those things which are quantifiable
and measureable … so we really know we are
getting results... That quantifiable, measurable
outcome shows people back in Britain the true
value of our aid commitment..”
David Cameron, UK PM, Lagos, 19 July 2011
www.Enterprise-Development.org

4. ... but not much measurement going on ...
“The project reports provide a substantial amount of
anecdotal evidence for the positive outcomes and
impacts of value chain initiatives. Some of the
outcomes appear to be very positive. Beyond this,
there was little systematic impact evaluation
evidence across the 30 projects... This lack of
systematic impact assessment is understandable ...
but it is a problem”
Value Chains, Donor Interventions and Poverty
Reduction, Humphrey and Navas-Alemán, IDS, 2010
www.Enterprise-Development.org

5. ... so what is the problem?
• Many bright and committed people work in
development – yet evidence remains elusive
• We aim to solve problems that are not linear but
‘wicked’ (each is a symptom of others; multiple
possible solutions; numerous stakeholders etc.)
• VCD focuses on systems – so can our own
systems cope with ‘wicked problems’?
• Key is adaptation – more than up-front planning
www.Enterprise-Development.org

6. We need Adaptive Management ...
Owen Barder, CGD, September 2012
www.Enterprise-Development.org

7. ... which in theory is simply good
monitoring.
“A continuing function that uses systematic
collection of data on specified indicators to
provide management and the main
stakeholders of an ongoing development
intervention with indications of the extent of
progress and achievement of objectives“
OECD DAC Working Party on Aid Evaluation
www.Enterprise-Development.org

8. The DCED Standard
1. Articulating the theory of change/results chain
2. Defining the indicators of change
3. Good measurement practices
4. Handling attribution
5. Wider change in the system or market
6. Relating to programme costs
7. Reporting results (internal/external)
8. Managing the system
www.Enterprise-Development.org

9. ... and how it is different
The Standard provides a framework of accepted
good practice, with some distinctive features:
• The framework gives structure and incentives
to implement good monitoring practice – as a
process rather than as a one-off event
• Participating programmes need to keep a
paper trail, that can then be audited
• Reminder to look for market-wide effects
• Projections favour systemic interventions
www.Enterprise-Development.org

10. Applications of the Standard
• Mainly VCD, plus
challenge funds,
trade, vocational
training...
• 11+ member agencies
• 6+ international NGOs
• 25+ field programmes
www.Enterprise-Development.org

11. At the DCED Seminar in January...
Programmes published their (estimated) results, for example:
• 1,033,000 farmers and SMEs in Bangladesh have increased their
income by a total of US$133m through a mix of interventions
(Katalyst)
• 8,000 tofu enterprises in Indonesia have increased their income
by 15% through improved management (VIP)
• 1,070,000 farmers in Nigeria have increased their income by
US$7.2m by using fertilisers appropriately (PropCom)
• 15,630 farmers and SMEs in Nicaragua have increased their sales
by US$67m (PyMERural)
• 3,000 smallholder farmers in Thailand have increased their
income by US$9.5m (GTZ)
More information: www.enterprise-development.org/page/seminar
www.Enterprise-Development.org

12. For more information, please visit the DCED website >
DCED Guidance > Measuring and reporting results
www.Enterprise-Development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results
Handing over now to Mihaela Balan and Moses
Pelomo, to talk about recent experiences and
challenges in the field